106. Ego’s
City: Austin, TX
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (512) 474-7091
Address: 510 South Congress Ave.
Description: This dark, low-ceilinged room on South Congress Avenue is a popular spot with the underground music crowd. The L-shaped corner stage for eclectic musical acts is intimate and the sound system alert. Strange that one of the city’s most likable venues is buried inside a parking garage. Did we mention the pool tables and video games?
107. Elephant Room
City: Austin, TX
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (512) 473-2279
Address: 315 Congress Ave.
Description: Voted Best Jazz Bar in Austin 7 years in a row by the Clarksville Jazz Festival—and in 2007 named by USA Today as one of the country’s top 10 “places to get jazzed about”—the Elephant Room presents a wide variety of live jazz, including Latin jazz, fusion, traditional, and funk. This cozy basement club presents an excellent assortment of Austin bands as well as bands from around the country. Audiences are treated to the cool sounds of live jazz 7 nights a week. (Yes, some of the artists and members of the audience do don sunglasses—it’s that cool.)
108. Frank Erwin Center
City: Austin, TX
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (512) 477-6060 (Texas box offi
Address: 1701 Red River St.
Description: Austin’s largest venue for national touring musicians is also home to University of Texas basketball as well as Disney on Ice shows, circuses, and scores of other events throughout the year. When it comes to music, however, there just isn’t any space in Austin as large or as comfortable for the crowds that have turned out to see world-class musical performers, including, of course, many Austin music legends. The Erwin Center also hosts plenty of classical musical performers. Depending on the stage setup, the Erwin Center can hold anywhere from 4,000 to 18,000 fans. Performances are announced well in advance.
109. The Ghost Room
City: Austin, TX
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (512) 879-4472
Address: 304 West Fourth St.
Description: Opened in late 2009 this club quickly earned a reputation for great atmosphere, superior sound, and an impressive and diverse lineup of acts. Just a few months later it picked up the 2010 Austin Music Award for Best New Club. Located in a century-old building in the popular Warehouse District downtown, the club is indeed living up to its early hype. Shows usually run Thurs through Sat nights at the 350-person venue. Careful not to sit on the real ghost who actually inhabits the place!
110. Hanovers Draught House
City: Austin, TX
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (512) 670-9617
Address: 108 East Main St.
Description: The suburbs have grown and grown around historic downtown Pflugerville, once a small, quiet Central Texas town. Not only has new life come to the fields surrounding downtown, there also is new life for some of the town’s old buildings. Once a saloon, then a hardware store, this 1899 stone building is alive again with the sounds of Texas. The bar features 76 types of beer. In addition to the music stage, there is a back room with pool tables and dart boards, plus a large outdoor beer garden that can seat up to 1,000. For nourishment, there is barbecue, of course. The live music shows are presented Wed, Fri, and Sat.
111. Hill’s Cafe
City: Austin, TX
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (512) 851-9300
Address: 4700 South Congress Ave.
Description: The chicken-fried steak isn’t the only thing on the menu at this South Austin landmark, owned by top country music radio personality, Bob Cole. How about a helping of the down-home country performers who are giving this place a reputation for presenting great live music? Tues is songwriter night, a fine time to hear some new sounds.
112. Hole in the Wall
City: Austin, TX
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (512) 477-4747
Address: 2538 Guadalupe St.
Description: This Austin institution almost didn’t make it to its 30th anniversary in 2003. Closed for nearly a year while the building was up for sale, the local Austin Pizza chain revived the space and returned the 200-capacity venue to its original configuration. Bands now play in the front; the back room has pool tables, pinball machines, and a jukebox. Located on The Drag near the University of Texas campus, this really is just a hole in the wall. But over its nearly four decades in business, this club and eatery has earned a reputation for presenting excellent up-and-coming as well as established bands.
113. Lamberts Downtown Barbeque
City: Austin, TX
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (512) 494-1500
Address: 401 West Second St.
Description: This spot in downtown’s historic Schneider Brothers Building (built in 1873 as one of Austin’s first general stores) gained popularity first as a “fancy barbeque” restaurant for both lunch and dinner. Its upstairs stage, however, is now gaining a loyal audience of music lovers, thanks a great deal to the venue’s excellent booking choices. Live music, including blues, jazz, Western swing, and other genres, is offered on the weekends.
114. La Zona Rosa
City: Austin, TX
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (512) 463-4146
Address: 612 West Fourth St.
Description: A longtime Austin tradition, formerly a quaint Mexican eatery and music hall, La Zona Rosa now concentrates on outstanding live music. It is high on the list of hot Austin clubs known for providing consistent quality entertainment. La Zona Rosa presents both national touring shows and some of Austin’s favorite artists. Its two rooms can be made into one for shows that seat up to 1,200 people.
115. Lucky Lounge
City: Austin, TX
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (512) 479-7700
Address: 209 A West Fifth St.
Description: Featuring live music 6 nights a week, this lounge with 60s-inspired decor and soft neon lighting is located in the heart of Austin’s Warehouse District. The musical styles—rock, hip-hop, funk, and more—are as eclectic as the patrons who flock to this popular establishment.
116. Momo’s
City: Austin, TX
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (512) 479-8848
Address: 618 West Sixth St.
Description: One of the best things about this downtown club, besides the live music of course, is the rooftop patio, which offers a view over the city and a look at the inside stage and dance floor. The club has had several incarnations and now features all sorts of music, including singer/songwriters.
117. Saxon Pub
City: Austin, TX
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (512) 448-2552
Address: 1320 South Lamar Blvd.
Insider Pick:
Description: Saxon Pub started out as a folk music club when it opened in South Central Austin in 1990, but Saxon is now gaining a reputation as a great blues club. Country and rock bands also have found a home. To the delight of music fans, some of the country’s most popular musicians also have been known to drop in for a jam session or two, including Bonnie Raitt and Kris Kristofferson.
118. Scoot Inn
City: Austin, TX
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (512) 478-6200
Address: 1308 East Fourth St.
Description: Although Scoot Inn’s Eastside location dates back to the 1870s as a music venue, it has had quite a checkered past. Like some other historic East Austin music venues, Scoot Inn is making a comeback and is becoming known as a hip place to hang out and listen to an eclectic array of music acts. Part of the attraction here is the indoor and outdoor stages—and the beer garden—but really it all comes down to the live music.
119. Speakeasy
City: Austin, TX
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (512) 476-8017
Address: 412 Congress Ave.
Description: This upscale club in the Warehouse District downtown features live music on most nights. This is the place to play billiards and hear bands play some great standards from the ’30s and ’40s as well as some original music. The Speakeasy offers plenty of blues, jazz, salsa, lounge music, swing, and some country tunes. The rooftop terrace (for those willing to make the trek up the 59 stairs) offers a fantastic view of downtown. Hint: the entrance is down the alley.
120. TC’s Lounge
City: Austin, TX
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (512) 926-2200
Address: 1413 Webberville Rd.
Description: Austinites who have been flocking to this lopsided barn of a blues haunt for years probably will be none too happy with us for “outing” their little secret. TC’s Lounge, they will argue, is already crowded enough, especially on Mon nights when The Little Elmore Reed Band is on stage and the dance floor is packed. It’s kinda dirty from years of good use, and the air conditioning is iffy, but if you like great blues and R&B, at reasonable prices, you’ll make the trip over to East Austin.